For as long as people have walked the Earth, they have looked to the stars, have been inspired by their beauty and remoteness and have found their way over sea and deserts by their guidance. Since then, enormous progress has been made in the understanding of the stars, and today the expanding and fascinating world of high-energy astronomy awaits the student: a world of ultraviolet and X-ray spectrometers and telescopes that explore stars, nebulae, and phenomena like quasars and black holes. This teacher's guide may be used to introduce and summarize lessons that will be taught by the crew of the Astro observatory shuttle mission--the first to be dedicated to astrophysics, the branch of astronomy that investigates the physical characteristics of celestial objects such as their size, mass, temperature, and chemistry. The guide is also a practical source of lesson plans and student activities that may be used by itself to teach scientific principles and to interest students in the field of astronomy. It can supplement sections of texts in Earth science, physical science, or social studies. Many activities are designed to extend into the realms of literature, mathematics, art, and history. The six basic concepts taught in this program are: (1) visible light demonstrates the existence of the spectrum; (2) radiation exists above and below the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; (3) light and other kinds of radiation consist of photons that travel in waves; (4) certain celestial objects give off radiation other than visible light, and must be studied in other energy ranges; (5) certain waves of radiation are blocked by Earth's atmosphere; and (6) astronomers need to place telescopes above Earth's atmosphere to perform astronomical observations in several regions of the spectrum. Background information introduces each activity, materials needed are listed, step-by-step procedures are described, and home activities are suggested. A brief discussion of careers in astronomy, some facts on Astro-1 and the electromagnetic spectrum, lists of resources, and a glossary conclude the document. (PR)

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